Labor department moves to protect gig workers
Independent contractors notched a win as the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) this month announced the withdrawal of the “Independent Contractor Rule.” The rule, which was issued two weeks before the change in presidential administrations, would have made it easier for employers to classify workers as independent contractors and would have provided employers more security from challenges by contract workers for minimum wages and overtime pay.
Massachusetts voters approved unionization efforts for ride-hailing drivers
In last November’s general election, Massachusetts voters approved Question 3: the Unionization and Collective Bargaining for Transportation Network Drivers Initiative, allowing the state’s more than 80,000 Uber and Lyft drivers to unionize and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions.